TAIWAN ARMS SALE: US President George
Bush says the US will do whatever is necessary to defend
Taiwan. Beijing has launched a diplomatic protest over a US
arms sale to Taiwan. George Bush has delivered China a
message in public intentionally say commentators.

SOUTHERN
DROUGHT: Many farmers in Marlborough are having to buy in
feed and sell off breeding stock due to a prolonged drought.
Several days of steady rain is needed.

AIR NEW ZEALAND
HIRING: Air New Zealand says it is keen to hire up to 500
Qantas NZ staff made redundant by the collapse of the
airline.

BLOOD MONEY: The Ministry of Health is promising
to fund a big increase in the cost of blood products. At
least $10 million of the required $16 million has already
been found.

COMMUNITY SERVICES CARD: The Government is
under pressure from within its own ranks over a decision
not to raise the threshold for the Community Services Card
and the cheap health care it entitles recipients too. The PM
has agreed to meet the Greens over the issue.

SOUTH
AFRICA: South Africa’s Police Minister has warned the ANC
about a plot to oust President Thabo Mbecki. Three senior
popular members of the ANC are accused of the plot. Mr
Mbecki has been accused of using the state to pursue

ANZAC
DAY: The Foreign Minister Phil Goff says the ANZAC spirit is
alive and well at Gallipoli with more people than ever
visiting for commemorations.

ANTARCTIC RESCUE: A plane has
taken off from the South Pole with a sick doctor on board.
This is the first ever winter flight from the pole.

TURKEY
HUNGER STRIKE: More people have died in Turkey’s prisons
where protests are being held over prison conditions.
Amnesty International says up to 1000 political prisoners
have been on an extended hunger strike.

MONTEITHS: An
advertising campaign to show West Coasters how to
differentiate between a Monteiths beer brewed on the coast,
and one brewed in Auckland, has started today. Brian Blake
of DB says the campaign is endangering negotiations over the
future of the Greymouth
brewery.

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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